Despite recent rainfall in the past week, United Utilities has decided to bring in a hosepipe ban to their customers in the North West of England. The ban will take place from August 5th at 8 am onwards until residents are notified otherwise. Martin Padley, the Water Services Director, discussed the ban, stating that the temporary restrictions have not been done so lightly and that the company is grateful for those willing to reduce the water demand at this time. l What is prohibited during a Hosepipe Ban l Watering private gardens via a hosepipe l Filling domestic ponds with a hosepipe l Filling fountains with hosepipes l Cleaning decking, outdoor surfaces, cars and patios via a hosepipe l Watering plants with a hosepipe If you would still like to do the things noted above, you can still do so, however, you will need to use mains supplied water from your indoor taps, and fill buckets or watering cans. The definition of hosepipe is anything created to provide an outdoor water source, so, for example, sprinklers would be included in this definition.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A HOSEPIPE BAN?
A hosepipe can use up to 600 litres of water an hour, with sprinklers using even more so if left overnight to water plants. Reducing the usage of these products can save up to 10% of water supplies for water companies. In the north-west, United Utilities could save around 100 million litres a day. If everyone adheres to the hosepipe ban next month, United Utilities could save up to 7 billion litres of water within one week. This will extend supply, and bring back their overall water supply back to a normal level. Since the heat wave, the company will have lost supplies, and will be unable to meet demand should hosepipe use continue. In 2012, the use of the term hosepipe ban was changed, so that companies must call them Temporary Use Bans, or tubs for short. This is to ensure that all use of outside water pumps, hosepipes, sprinkles, water slides, pools, and anything else can all fall under one term, meaning nothing is exempt. Although researchers have found that less than 20% of households in the UK use outdoor water pumps, an hour of use can use upwards of 1000 litres. Putting a ban on this use is thought to be an easy way of conserving water for future use.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN SAVE WATER
Although the ban doesn’t start until August 5th this year, you can restrict your use now if you wanted to. You can also save water in other ways. If you’re a United Utilities Customer, you can check out their free water saving products, such as a shower regulator, toothy timers for kids when brushing their teeth, or you can order a water butt, which collects rainwater over time which can then be used for watering the garden. Other ways you can save water include:
